


The Kids Are Alright

by addledwalrus



Series: Those Darn Kids! [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, Acting, Action/Adventure, Alice in Wonderland References, Ambiguous Relationships, Ambiguous/Open Ending, American Politics, Authority Figures, Bodyswap, Boredom, Car Accidents, Character Death, Cheating, Children, Christian Holidays, Christmas, Class Differences, Clowns, Cold War, Comfort, Commitment, Con Artists, Cousins, Crushes, Dark Comedy, Developing Relationship, Domestic Violence, Doubt, Dreams, Dreams vs. Reality, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Explicit Language, F/M, Fairy Tale Elements, Family Issues, Female Character of Color, Female Friendship, Feminist Themes, First Kiss, Flashbacks, Fluff, Freudian Elements, Friendship/Love, Generation Gap, Grandparents & Grandchildren, Grief/Mourning, Hazing, Hippies, Historical References, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Inspired by Novel, Inspired by a Movie, Male-Female Friendship, Marijuana, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Mother-Son Relationship, Musical References, Name Changes, Playing Hooky, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Pregnancy, Puberty, Puppets, Racism, Recreational Drug Use, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Revenge, Rock and Roll, Rollerblades & Rollerskates, Sexual Tension, Slice of Life, Space Flight, Spies & Secret Agents, Supernatural Elements, Teenage Rebellion, Teenagers, Underage Smoking, Unrequited Love, Vandalism, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Western, Wizard of Oz References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-09
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-08-30 02:21:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 18,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8514988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/addledwalrus/pseuds/addledwalrus
Summary: The story of Barbara and Steven, two children who frequently try to escape everyday life through various daydreams and fantasies.





	1. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two women give birth in a hospital. One of them is more prepared than the other.

Grace blinked twice as she came back to her senses and stared up at the dull hospital ceiling, trying to recall why she was in such a place. A painful stirring in her chest caused her to choke in an attempt to suppress the unpleasant feeling, before the all too clear memories came flooding back.

She remembered being beaten and cast out by her parents, as well as the long walk to her boyfriend's place where she'd begged and pleaded for his parents to allow her shelter.

They'd taken pity on her and agreed, though her father arriving a few days later to express his apologies and escort her back home put an end to their plans.

She noticed the white sheets covering her mature figure and slowly stretched her arm towards her abdomen, feeling the large bump and wondering when the contractions would begin.

The very thought of her body doing such things left her paralyzed with fear and in that moment, an intense hatred arose over the fact that despite her lover's promise to support and accept her unconditionally, he was nowhere to be seen when she needed him most.

A nurse must have heard her subsequent crying, for the matronly woman entered the room soon after, holding a small bundle while a kindly smile was plastered on her face.

"Sweetheart, there's no need to be so sad. You've pulled through and the worst is over now."

"What do you mean?" Grace managed to ask even as her arms trembled and her eyes fell on the wriggling swathe that was now showing off a pair of tiny clenched fists.

"Would you like to hold him? I think he's dying for a look at his mother..."

* * *

Lesley wasn't sure what to make of the screaming newborn that the nurse had handed to her and claimed was a baby girl. As the child continued to wail relentlessly, she glanced expectantly towards her husband as if he held some answer that would clear all her doubts.

He looked back at her with similar confusion and she decided to take matters into her own hands.

"Nurse!" She called out while rocking the baby gently in the hope that the terrible sound would stop. "I believe there's been some mistake!"

"A mistake?" The older woman said in surprise, stopping in her tracks just outside the room. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes..." Lesley began in uncertainty. "My husband and I were expecting a boy, but you've given us this little girl instead."

The nurse paused and gaped at her as if she were insane, before deciding to explain things to yet another misinformed couple.

"I don't know what you've heard, but you can't decide your child's gender while it's still inside you. That baby is most certainly your's, I'm sure of it."

"What... what makes you think that?"

"Because I was the one who pulled her out of you."

Lesley froze to contemplate the nurse's words as she left and eventually turned back to her husband in defeat, thrusting the infant towards his crossed arms.

"Roger, don't you think you could do something? I just can't stop it from crying."

"You want me to take control? Aren't you the mother?"

"Please, you've always been better with people than I am. Maybe she'll feel more comfortable..."

"Alright, I guess it's worth a try." He relented, lowering his arms and repositioning them into a cradle shape. Lesley cautiously passed their baby to him and he protectively latched on to it's body in fear of dropping it by accident.

To the surprise of both, the child quickly calmed down and finally allowed them some peace, during which Roger uttered soothing words and began smiling uncontrollably at his daughter's chubby red cheeks.

"Well, what do you know..." He said blissfully as his arms grew tired and he handed her back to Lesley. "I think she's warmed up to me just fine."

Lesley smiled while she cradled the little girl once again, reconsidering her earlier misgivings and telling herself that she was in fact blessed to have the life of such a fragile being in her hands.

Her feelings of adoration were short lived however, for as soon as the baby opened it's eyes to look up at her for the first time, it's face inexplicably wrinkled up and it began to wail even more frantically than before.


	2. Blue Moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place from 1961 to 1962, meaning that the protagonists would be about three or four years old here.

"Sure you don't want to join me on the floor?"

"No, I'm fine just sitting here. You go and have your fun." Grace stubbornly resisted, clutching her glass of water so tightly that Ross expected it to shatter in her hand.

It always made him feel guilty when his girlfriend behaved like this, as if she were trying to prove how irresponsible of a partner he was.

He sighed to release some of his frustration and composed himself enough to speak to her calmly.

"But I can't go off on my own. Another pretty girl might steal me away..."

"Alright, I'll dance with you." Grace relented as she suddenly felt insecure about all the other women around. She put her drink down wearily and let Ross lead her by the hand so that they could dance together.

"You're worried about Steven, aren't you?" He asked after the first song had finished and Grace didn't look anymore relaxed.

She nodded in response and he let go of her waist.

"Well, don't be. Your uncle's a trustworthy man, isn't he?"

"I guess he is..."

"Then our son's going to be fine."

* * *

"No...no, don't wanna bath!" Steven screamed hysterically as he tried unsuccessfully to fight against the clutches of his great aunt and uncle while they dragged him off the floor.

He managed to lift his head just as he was finally taken into the hall and tearfully laid eyes on the jack-in-the-box that had entertained him without fail for the past hour. The thought of being separated from his favourite toy was devastating and the matter was only made worse by the complete lack of sympathy that the two adults held towards his plight.

"Goodbye..." He sobbed quietly as the inside of the living room completely disappeared from view and he felt a jolt through his small body, signalling that he was now being carried up the stairs.

* * *

"Nine... ten...here I come..."

Barbara allowed herself a quiet giggle before the sound of footsteps alerted her to Grandpa Irving's presence. She forced herself to keep quiet however hard it seemed and the sight of his feet entering the kitchen made her consider the possibility of holding her breath as well.

"Could you tell me where you are? I can't see you anywhere..."

"Under the table, grandpa!" She blurted out impulsively, only to realize what a silly mistake she'd made. With a sigh, she decided to admit defeat for the time being and lifted the large table cloth as she crawled out to greet him.

He seemed to take his victory pretty humbly and knelt down to give her a friendly hug. She obliged and was suddenly hoisted into the air without warning, prompting her to squeal and kick her legs around in alarm.

"Grandpa, stop!" She begged after being tossed upwards a few times left her stomach feeling uncomfortably light.

He quickly frowned and placed her back on the floor just as she'd demanded, though it soon became clear that his decision was more a result of her parents returning home than any discomfort she might have felt.

She ran into her father's open arms in relief and realized how much safer it felt to be held by her parents, though that didn't stop her from politely saying goodbye to Irving as he was escorted outside by her mother.


	3. Hello Stranger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter comes from the song by Barbara Lewis.

Barbara sat on the floor of her bedroom, admiring the doll that had been given to her as a birthday present. She stood up with a smile and waddled over to the corner where a little tea table had been set up, so that she could play a little game of make-believe with the new toy.

"Would you like some cake with your tea?" She asked sweetly while pushing an invisible plate towards her guest as they stared vacantly into space.

A few seconds passed and Barbara decided to move on to a different activity. She grabbed the doll and went back across the room to the bed, where a figure resembling a man awaited her attention.

She placed the pair beside each other and pretended she was a priest presiding over the wedding of a happy couple, linking their hands together before turning them around so that their lips met in a kiss.

"Barbara, why aren't you in bed yet?"

She turned around to see her mother standing in the doorway and shrunk away in fear at the disappointed look the woman wore on her face. She quickly put her dolls back on top of the dresser in guilt, before crawling between the bed sheets and hoping that her mother would be appeased.

Lesley smiled in satisfaction as she turned off the light and gently shut the door, leaving Barbara lying alone in the darkness as her imagination went wild to the point of exhaustion.

Fears of monsters lurking in the shadows gave way to dreams of a handsome prince the further she drifted into slumber.

* * *

Steven thought he'd never see so many other children his age and the way they chattered and pushed past each other made him want to run back his parents for comfort.

A woman with an unpleasantly high voice barred his way however, and he stepped back with a whimper as she knelt down to stare at his face.

"My, aren't you a grimy little boy! Is this your first day?"

"I...I wanna go home..."

"Oh, don't be scared, darling. I won't bite..." She reassured while reaching out to squeeze his cheek. "How about you find a friend to play with? I think it might make you feel better."

He blinked in confusion at the complex string of words that had come from the teacher's mouth and while he tried to decipher their meaning, the other children were beginning to clumsily line up in two rows.

He recognized the right line as being mostly composed of boys and as such, tacked himself on to the end and followed them into the classroom.

One of the most memorable things that day besides hearing his name getting called out, was when the teacher called everyone to the floor so that they could listen to her reading from a book of fairytales.

He ended up sitting beside a round faced little girl whose golden curls and soft pink dress reminded him of a doll that one of his cousins was intensely protective towards.

A shy glance in the classmate's direction left him wondering if she were living or inanimate and he took it upon himself to find out by tugging on a lock of her hair.

She squealed in alarm, hitting his arm hard before shuffling away to allow herself some privacy. His eyes briefly followed her as she moved, marveling at her porcelain skin until his attention was stolen by a new story that was being narrated.

He sat up straight and listened intently to the tale, with the teacher's soothing voice soon plunging him into the middle of a lucid fantasy.

* * *

_Steven sat alone in a nursery, keeping himself entertained by swinging on a rocking chair until the appearance of a life sized wind up doll caught him by surprise._

_He jumped down from the chair and approached the doll with caution, though something about it's innocent expression and rosy red cheeks told him that it was of no threat._

_With a deep breath, he wrapped both hands around the handle of the key and turned it until he couldn't move it any further. He slowly let go and to his awe, the doll raised one leg and performed a graceful ballet routine before resuming it's original position._

_Ominous laughter that sounded after the dance was over put him on edge and he turned around to see a glowing pair of eyes staring at him threateningly from inside an old wooden box, as if jealous of the new favorite toy he'd found._

_The windows of the nursery suddenly flew open and Steven gave a cry of panic as a violent gust blew him off the floor and out into the dark perilous world outside._


	4. I Get Around

"Where's Daddy?"

"He's gone to work. Now come on, we have to go shopping."

"I don't want to."

"If you're good, I'll buy you ice cream on the way back..."

"Okay..."

Steven obediently took his mother's hand as they walked out into the street in the direction of the local square, with him in a pair of faded overalls and she wearing a floral scarf around her head.

The bright sunlight that morning prompted Grace to put on her sunglasses along the way, though Steven began to suspect there was another reason when she chose to keep them on even inside the store.

An old woman pointed a finger at them as they left the shop and uttered words that sounded harsh to his ears. He paused to listen further in curiosity, but Grace tensely grabbed his hand and forced him to stride away with her until they heard no more.

* * *

A frozen treat was bought for him just as promised and he wandered outside to eat it so as not to get in Grace's way while she made lunch.

He asked for permission to head to the nearest playground that afternoon and she agreed under the condition that she would accompany him.

She distanced herself from the other mothers while they were there and he guessed it had something to do with them looking years older than her, though it became clear that the reason concerned him just as much when the other children would slowly drift away every time he came near.

He and Grace were among the last to leave that day after she spent several minutes trying to wrestle him away from the swings and stopped to get her breath back as a result.

It seemed when they reached home that she completely lost the energy to do anything well and as such, Steven was left with a rather dull and unsatisfying dinner that he had to finish despite his loss of appetite.

Grace stood up and impatiently scolded him when he refused to eat any further and he feared for a moment that she would strike him, before his father returned and she instead took her troubles to the man while he set down his bag.

The first of many arguments that Steven would grow accustomed to over the years unfolded that night, as Ross criticized her for the lack of effort and she fiercely defended herself with various excuses.

* * *

Barbara held her precious doll close as she followed her parents out of the car and saw waves lapping against the shore for the first time. She stopped to marvel at the sight, but experienced sore disappointment when her mother carelessly dragged her away toward the restrooms.

The day wasn't as fun as Barbara had hoped, for she wasn't permitted to go in the water and subsequent attempts to do so ended in her father telling a frightening story about a child who drowned after disobeying their parents.

Throwing a loud tantrum did nothing to sway their minds, so she eventually resigned herself to building a crude sandcastle and pretending that her doll was a princess, while her mother bathed in the sun and her father conversed with other beachgoers.

A couple whom happened to be walking by callously crushed her hard work under their feet before continuing on and Barbara angrily turned to complain to her mother, only to decide it was futile when she saw how absorbed the woman seemed to be in some dull book she was reading.

Every other structure that Barbara made ended up meeting a similar fate and when it was time to leave, both she and her doll Annie were coated with sand. Her mother expressed disgust at the sight and the next thing she knew, she was being pulled under a shower head to have her hair and skin scrubbed painfully clean.

* * *

Her energy waned on the way home and she fell asleep in the back seat without realizing. Her father carried her inside when they returned and tucked her straight into bed to save some trouble, before heading downstairs to discuss the day's events with his wife.

Barbara woke up later that night to find herself confronted directly by darkness and the faint glow of moonlight shining in through the curtains. She realized that Annie wasn't by her side and tiptoed out of bed to find her companion, opting to search the closet first.

She opened the large door and stared inside while pushing a pile clothes away with all her might. A low growl stunned her and she prepared to retreat, only for an invisible force to seize her by the arm and suck her straight into the unfathomable darkness, where there was little chance of escape or finding a way around.

* * *

Lesley and Roger rushed upstairs in an instant after hearing their daughter scream in terror from above. They found her sitting awake in bed, crying in distress but otherwise unharmed, which brought sighs of relief from the both of them.

Roger comforted her first by giving a hug and claiming that there was nothing to be afraid of, before Lesley took over by softly singing a lullaby that seemed to do the trick of putting the little girl at ease again.

The tears stopped and Barbara went back to sleep with a weary smile, allowing them to return downstairs to resume their previous conversation.


	5. All Day and All of the Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter comes from the song by The Kinks.

_The young man sat alone on a stool at a street corner, singing and playing a guitar while passersby dropped coins in his hat. He performed tirelessly for hours before he felt that there was enough money to get by for one day, at which he stood up and tipped his earnings into the woven bag he always carried around._

_He was able to buy dinner and rent a small room that evening for a few hours of sleep, before having to leave again early the next morning._

* * *

"A traveling musician? That's an interesting choice." The smiling woman said in amusement upon hearing what Steven wished to become when he grew up.

"I want to be like Bob Dylan..." He innocently replied, only to work himself into a confused frustration when several other children started to giggle at his words.

He sat back down and tried to ignore them by glancing towards the short little girl seated near the back of the room. She noticed his gaze and rudely stuck out her tongue in response, causing him to turn back around in disgust at her manners.

The teacher continued to ask each student about their dreams, with several boys claiming that they wanted to be soldiers and policemen.

"Now Barbara, could you tell me what-"

"A ballerina." She answered while crossing her arms and pouting impatiently.

"Why, that's a good one! Can you dance?"

The school bell rang and Steven continued to sit dumbly at his desk for several seconds as the other children grabbed their books and filed outside. It wasn't until he saw Barbara walk past that he came back to his senses and hurriedly packed up, dropping a pencil on the floor in his rush to beat her to the door.

* * *

Steven entered the house to find that the place was suspiciously quiet and fell into a brief panic as he searched around for a sign of his parents' whereabouts.

A note taped to the back of the kitchen door laid his fears to rest, though he once again felt powerless when he read their instructions on how to prepare dinner while they were both at work.

He gave up after looking at the stove and realizing he didn't know how to light a match or turn on the gas, choosing to instead wander outside where he would idly wait for evening to fall.

* * *

Barbara sensed that she was being followed while she went past the local park and spun around to catch a glimpse of the person trailing her back home from school.

She recognized the hair and face as belonging to a boy in her class whose shyness and odd way of answering questions had led many to believe that he was retarded in some way.

He came to a stop just as she did and inched to the side of the footpath when she approached.

"Why are you following me?" She bravely asked, crossing her arms across her chest in defence.

He stared blankly at her for a while before opening his mouth.

"I don't know how to cook..."

"I don't either."

"But... but your mom can..."

Barbara paused to piece together the meaning of his words and came to the conclusion that he didn't have a mother to take care of him.

"Okay, you can come to my house..." She replied hesitantly before continuing on and allowing him to take uncertain steps behind her.

Something about the way he constantly maintained the distance between them reminded her of a lost puppy that was too afraid to approach even the friendliest of people. She began to feel sorry for him and despite her parents' warnings about strangers, convinced herself that he was of no threat.

* * *

_A pretty young socialite strutted down the street, minding her own business until a man in ragged clothes approached and urgently asked for some spare change._

_She declined and continued walking without giving him a second glance. He lowered his head in despair at her indifference and the lamentable situation he was in, before the realization that he would die alone caused a single tear to roll down his cheek._

* * *

A large smile broke out on Lesley's face when she entered the living room to find that Barbara and her new friend had fallen asleep beside each other on the couch.

She suppressed the urge to squeal at the sight and excitedly poked her head through the kitchen door to call her husband over. He stood up from the table in irritation and followed the sound of her voice, only to have a similar reaction upon seeing the two sleeping children.

"Still, that boy just can't stay here. His parents must be worried..." Roger spoke up as he regained his usual air of dignity and remembered the serious side of things.

"We could take him to the police station. They'll know what to do, but I don't think I could bring myself to separate these two..."

"Easy, darling. He's somebody else's son, not ours."

"I know, but look at them! It's been seven years, why can't we try for a boy?"

Roger rolled his eyes at his wife's seemingly impractical suggestion and retreated back into the kitchen to find the car keys, vowing that no amount of sweetness would stop him from doing the right thing.


	6. Bang Bang

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two children's imagination fueled games get a little out of hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter comes from the song by Cher (though I prefer Nancy Sinatra's version).

_"By the power vested in me, I hereby sentence this man to be hanged. May the Lord have mercy on his soul..."_

_Stephen 'Duck' Donovan felt his chest heave in discomfort as the noose was slipped around his neck and tightened to ensure that death would come quicker when he fell. The anxious eyes of a few onlookers fixed on him and he forced himself to bravely stare back at them despite the paralyzing fear._

_"Proceed..."_

_A lever was pulled and the trapdoor beneath his feet dropped open. A muted gasp escaped his lips as he was deprived of air, before a deafening gunshot startled the spectators and caused them to scatter._

_The rope from which he was hanging from snapped in two and he landed breathlessly on dirt ground, before unsteadily getting to his feet. He looked up and found in relief that there was a path by which he could escape, so he charged straight ahead and ignored the panic that was unfolding nearby._

_"Catch that man! Don't let him get away alive!" The judge yelled in rage as he sent the executioner off to chase the wanted outlaw._

_The whinny of a horse caught Stephen by surprise and he paused as a woman in a poncho came riding towards him. She slowed down and extended her hand, so that he could take it and hoist himself up behind her before they galloped to safety._

_"About time, Cotton Eye..." He muttered in reluctant gratitude. "I almost thought I was done for back there."_

_The woman laughed in amusement while she yanked at the horse's reins._

_"You'll have to learn to trust me more, won't you?"_

* * *

_"On your knees. Now."_

_Stephen did just what Cotton Eye ordered him to do and knelt down before the large pit that he now realized would likely become his grave by the end of the day._

_The cold barrel of her gun pressed against the back of his head and he winced, before grabbing on to what little chance was left and deciding to bargain with her._

_"Is this how you show gratitude? You wouldn't have found that chest of gold without me..."_

_"Oh, Duck..." She said teasingly. "You're great company and good at robbing banks, but I'm afraid you're of no use to me anymore..."_

_"No, please don't do this..."_

_"I'm sorry."_

_Cotton Eye pulled her trigger with a bang that blew a hole right through her partner's head. Blood splattered on to the loose soil below and the light left his eyes as he toppled forward into his final resting place._

_She lowered her gun and slipped it back into her holster while she came to terms with the misdeed. It was perhaps fortunate that he'd fallen face down, for she had a feeling that seeing his lifeless eyes would have made it much more difficult to remain detached in the current situation._

_She picked up the shovel he'd been using just minutes before and began tossing dirt down on his corpse._

* * *

"Barbara, put that thing down now!"

Barbara dropped her toy spade and felt her face grow hot as she turned to face her mother in embarrassment. Her eyes hastily shifted towards a still motionless Steven while she tried to think of a believable explanation for what she was doing.

"I thought you would know better than to try burying him alive. What is wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry, Mom..."

"Oh, it's no use apologizing. Help me get him up. I'll deal with you tonight."

Barbara watched as Steven managed to stand up and brush dirt off his face and clothes. She found herself feeling overcome with guilt, despite him seeming unfazed by their crazy game.

* * *

"Yay, it's starting!" Barbara cheered excitedly from the couch as familiar opening credits began to play on the television screen before her.

Steven's eyes widened in astonishment at the unexpectedly bright explosion of color and he found it difficult to accept what he was seeing as reality, since his parents had only recently been able to purchase a black and white television set.

He glanced at his new friend and found the gleeful look on her face to be quite disconcerting, so he summoned up the courage to ask her why she was so fond of such a program.

"Because it's cool, and it's about spies..." She tersely explained in response while the lead actors' names and faces appeared onscreen.

He decided to accept that answer and leaned forward in anticipation of what the main story would be like. It became clear as the episode wore on that Barbara had a soft spot for the charming dark-haired protagonist, though he found himself siding more with the Russian, despite knowing it was wrong to feel as such.

The program finished an hour later and Steven recalled with a shudder, what had happened the one time he'd stayed late at Barbara's place without informing his parents. He hastily got off the couch as a result and announced his departure, prompting her to casually wave farewell in return.

It seemed that color had a way of making action scenes seem twice as intense as what he was accustomed to and he had to pause to catch his breath on the way home, while a scene of a male agent struggling against tight ropes remained fresh in his memory.

* * *

_"Mr Donovan, you should know that resisting me is futile. I have my men lined up outside and they will not hesitate to shoot if you so much as display your defiance."_

_The secret agent flinched as bright red nails stroked softly against his cheek and the smell of perfume served to cloud his mind with visions of his captor's face, along with a fear of her ruthless ways._

_Even so, he was able to console himself with the knowledge that he still had a backup plan unknown to his adversaries. A smirk formed on his face as he imagined how they would all react when they found out._

_"You will tell me the coordinates of your little base, if you value your life...or your manhood..." The woman continued in her deep seductive voice, only to hesitate when she saw the taunting look on her hostage's face._

_"Is something funny?" She asked as her voice faltered and an uncharacteristic hint of dread became evident in her eyes._

_"Yes..." The man smugly replied. "You and your little army were so focused on chaining me to the control board that you didn't care to conduct a proper search of this boat."_

_"Don't flatter yourself. We did a thorough enough job..."_

_"If that's the case, why didn't you spot the bomb I rigged to the engine? I set it to go off at noon today..."_

_"Liar, you're just bluffing..."_

_"Don't believe me? Wait two minutes and you'll know that it's true."_

_"Two?!" She screamed, losing her composure as she stared down at her expensive watch. "That means you'll die as well!"_

_"That's right, I'm taking you with me..."_

_She stepped away from him in disbelief and took to frantically pacing about the cabin while trying to deny what was going to happen. Her efforts to do so proved useless however, when she remembered that her longtime rival wasn't one to just leave things up to chance._

_"Son of a gun..." She finally muttered as she slumped down upon a nearby bench in defeat. "I hope you burn in-"_

_A raging inferno tore up through the center of the floor and engulfed them both within seconds, burning away their hair and clothes and reducing their bodies to little more than misshapen black lumps._

_Fragments of the destroyed ship, as well as tiny embers rained down into the ocean after the explosion and a rusty pair of handcuffs would eventually wash up on shore, the secret of it's origins having been lost in a watery grave._


	7. White Rabbit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains some very obvious references to Alice In Wonderland and if you can't spot them, you must be living under a rock. The title comes from the song by Jefferson Airplane.

_"No, I don't want to take it!" Irving cried as he wriggled away from his mother and tried to hide under the sheets so as to avoid his daily dose of cod liver oil._

_"Irving!" The woman screamed in frustration, before throwing off the blanket with one hand and yanking him up by the hair while he frantically kicked around._

_The spoonful of foul smelling, dark liquid was shoved deep into Irving's mouth despite his best efforts and he gagged as the slippery sensation made him want to throw up._

_His mother smiled in triumph at having once again overpowered him as he quietly wished for the family doctor to die in an accident._

* * *

Irving awoke from his afternoon nap with a shudder and slipped on his spectacles as unpleasant childhood memories continued to haunt him.

He raised his head and stared at the display of photos upon his mantelpiece, which ranged from grainy sepia portraits of his departed parents to his son's more recent wedding picture.

In between was the smiling face of his late wife, her lively eyes being enough to fool him into believing she would waltz through the door as she did in the past so that they could drink and dance the night away.

The doorbell rang and he stood up from the couch with some difficulty before heading off to welcome his visitors.

He was greeted by his daughter-in-law and granddaughter, the latter of whom seemed especially excited to see him. A short explanation for their visit later, he agreed to watch over the young girl for the remainder of the day.

* * *

_Barbara walked alone through the woods for ages in the hope of getting to know the strange realm she was now in, until the aroma of freshly brewed tea and sugary cakes made her realize how hungry she was._

_She followed the smell and came across a large table where sat a familiar figure in a top hat, along with a stuffed toy rabbit and mouse._

_"Steven, what are you doing here?" She asked as she approached and decided whether or not to join him._

_"I'm not Steven..." He replied matter-of-factly. "I'm the Mad Hatter and these are my two friends!"_

_"O-okay..." Barbara stammered while sitting down opposite him. "Do you mind if I have some of your tea?"_

_"Do you have to ask? Of course you can!"_

_"Thank you..."_

_She picked up the tiny steaming cup in front of her and took a sip while he imparted his knowledge of the tea's origins._

_"It's a special brew shipped all the way from India. They say that one cup can change your life so much, you won't want to go back to the old you!"_

_"That's good to hear..." Barbara drawled lethargically, placing her empty teacup down gently as she began to notice colours that she'd never been taught about at school._

_"Hey, Barbarella!" The stuffed rabbit suddenly yelled, causing her to look to the side in confusion. "If you really want a life changing experience, try this magic herbal remedy! It always works for me!"_

_A small brown bag was tossed on to the table and Barbara slowly reached for it, only to be distracted by the stuffed mouse as it too, tried to offer her some unusual treat._

_"Don't listen to him, little girl! Everybody knows that my peppermints are really where it's at!"_

_The rabbit, mouse and young hatter soon got into a heated argument about whose recipe was best and the chaos proved too much for Barbara's tea addled brain. She got up unsteadily and left them behind to get a closer look at a tree with cotton candy leaves._

* * *

Barbara's eyes widened in disgust and she gagged as she spat one of her grandfather's cigars to the floor. He chuckled at her expression and patiently picked it up before assuming that she wasn't ready for such things.

_"I guess it would suffice to give her a few more years...wait until her lungs are stronger..."_

As if on cue, a dull pain arose in Irving's chest and he realized that he'd forgotten to take his medication.

"Barbara, could you go upstairs to my room and fetch the bottle of white pills? It's right on top of the dresser."

"Sure, grandpa."

He slumped down on the couch and watched her leave the room, while hoping that she wouldn't take too long.

* * *

"Mom?" Steven uttered in surprise when he entered the house to find the living room in disarray and Grace slumped against the sofa in exhaustion, the sight of her bloodshot eyes and unruly hair filling him with unease.

"Welcome home, kid..." She moaned drearily, staring up at the ceiling instead of at him. "There's food in the fridge, so make yourself comfortable..."

"Mom, what's happened to you?"

"Nothing. Your Dad's just left his job, that's all..."

Steven eyed his mother in suspicion for a few more seconds before letting the matter go with a shrug and entering the kitchen to find something to eat.

* * *

"I'll have you know I've been taking very good care of him..." Grace bitterly retorted after having her parenting abilities questioned by her own mother.

Edith simply brushed her failure of a daughter aside with indifference and approached Steven,, pulling him forward by the arm and motioning to the mass of dark hair upon his head.

"No grandson of mine is going to wear his hair long like those shameless mods. If this keeps up, you may as well start buying him dresses instead of shirts."

"Where are you taking him?!" Grace cried out in alarm as Edith turned around and began dragging him forcefully towards where her vintage car was waiting.

"To get him a proper haircut and do some shopping." The middle aged woman replied concisely before getting into the driver's seat and slamming the door shut.

* * *

Steven glanced around self-consciously at all the stylish and well dressed people walking by, while his grandmother led him along and criticized those same passersby for their boldness and lack of inhibitions.

"Well, here we are." Edith announced as she pulled him to a stop outside the barbershop. She let go of his hand and headed for the entrance with the expectation that he would follow, but he instead found himself mesmerized by the spinning red and white stripes on the large pole nearby.

Steven's eyes glazed over as his mind fell into a trance, before time slowed down and brought everything around him to a stand still.

The urban landscape he was standing in soon faded and was replaced by lush green trees brimming with flowers and brightly colored fruit. A bird sang a pleasant song and he broke into a blissful smile, knowing that nobody was around to judge him.

* * *

_Steven came to a small clearing after a few minutes of exploration and knelt down to marvel at the numerous mushrooms growing seamlessly together, despite all being of different colours and sizes._

_He reached for the large blue one and pulled it out of the ground, before he brought it up to his mouth against all common sense._

_The sound of alarm clocks and sleigh bells ringing together at once from above distracted him from the bite he was about to take. He raised his head and stared up through the trees while still holding on to the mushroom, only to find himself falling through darkness a split second later._

_His stomach lurched as he hit something hard and glass suddenly shattered all around him. He was temporarily blinded by a bright burst of light before he found himself standing alone in an empty hall, black and white tiles stretching ahead as far as his eyes could see._

* * *

He eyed his reflection in the mirror and instantly felt uncomfortable, for it seemed like the face before him was not entirely his. He tensed up as the barber picked up a pair of scissors behind him and directed them towards the back of his head, ready to begin their work.

The job was done fifteen minutes later and Steven felt a great sense of relief as he slipped out of the chair, no longer at the mercy of a stranger whom possessed all sorts of sharp tools.

A bicycle leaning against a street corner caught his interest while he accompanied his grandmother back the way they had come and he stopped to stare, before wondering what it would be like to own one.

His mind once again flew away to another world, this time being one where he was free to take his bicycle wherever he could and ring it's bell as many times as he wanted.

Edith noticed the absent look in her grandson's eyes and it didn't take long for her to figure out what he was thinking. She gave a sigh of defeat as she quickly checked her wallet to see how much cash she had left.

* * *

Grace sat wearily on the sofa beside Ross, only barely paying attention to the news while she thought about what Steven was doing with her mother.

Ross inched closer and prepared to wrap his arm around her shoulder, only for her to bitterly shove it away and cause him to frown in alarm.

"Babe, is something wrong?" He asked, trying to maintain a concerned tone even though her recent behaviour had done nothing but test his patience.

"Don't you dare call me that! I'm a full grown woman, aren't I?!"

"Then what should I say?"

"Shut up!" Grace screamed as anger resulting from years of ostracism finally bubbled to the surface and exploded. She grabbed a stray seat cushion from off the floor and began using it to hit her partner before he could protest.

"All you do is sit around and rely on me, yet you have the nerve to say I don't do a good job!"

By the time her anger had dissipated, all Ross could do was stare at her speechlessly as colour returned to his face. She lowered the seat cushion and glared back while trying her hardest to hold back the tears.

"I'm not cooking dinner tonight..." She muttered in uncertainty after a long and uncomfortable silence. "...so if you want, you can go out and order some takeout. I'm sure Steven will thank you..."

At that, she got off the sofa and trudged straight to the room that she shared with him, before slamming the door shut and allowing herself at long last to cry.


	8. Magic Carpet Ride

_"That's right! Burn, you pitiful weaklings! Burn like the pathetic creatures that you are!" The Lord of Fire cackled maliciously while he unleashed jets of flames towards the ground below and decimated the figures that were fleeing for their lives._

_He didn't know why they even ran, to be honest, for all of them would eventually have to succumb to the fate of being burned alive. It was simply a matter of when and where._

_A loud female voice called out to him just as his destructive powers were about to peak and he screamed in rage at the thought of being interrupted._

_"Who? Who dares try to stop me from carrying out my carnage?! You shall pay dearly!"_

* * *

"Steven... what are you doing?"

Barbara stared down at her friend while he was completely absorbed in the unusual pastime of burning ants underneath a magnifying glass. She gripped the handles of her bicycle and prepared to make a long awaited request, despite having a feeling that he would be somewhat reluctant to join her.

"Do you want to come riding with me?"

"Sure..." Steven said with a sigh before placing the magnifying glass down and standing up to meet her at eye level. He knew it wouldn't be long before he'd outgrow her and she would have to tilt her head each time they spoke.

"Thanks. I'll wait for you..."

Grace threw a fervent tirade upon seeing him leave the house with his bicycle, though he did his best to ignore her claims that he would grow up to be just as useless as his father.

* * *

Barbara allowed herself a little smirk as she sped up and overtook Steven, racing ahead until she could no longer see him behind her.

Seconds passed and she continued over a hill with little intention of slowing down, only to lose control when her front wheel collided against a fallen branch. Her hands slipped off the bars and the bicycle skidded off the path, taking her with it.

She whimpered in pain when she finally landed on the ground and ended up rolling straight down towards the lake below, before she felt something hard hit her in the face.

* * *

She opened her eyes to see the lake stretching right out before her and realized that she had probably stopped rolling a few feet short of the bank. She pulled herself up with both hands and noticed a large graze on her right knee as she struggled to stand.

A dull ache in her chin and became evident while she staggered back up the hill and the sight of falling red droplets soon forced her to realize a frightening possibility.

She wiped a hand across her mouth and the crimson mark it left confirmed her fears. Nevertheless, she bit her lip and tried not to think too hard as she reached the top of the hill just in time to see Steven pedalling towards her.

She shouted his name in desperation, but he simply sped past without looking back.

* * *

_"What am I thinking about, children? Please tell me if you know..."_

_Barbara stared at her father with glowing white eyes as she was joined by two boys who seemed equally puzzled by the ambiguous question. They stood on either side of her and began transmitting information amongst each other, in the hope that three minds would be more powerful than one._

_"What am I thinking about?" Roger repeated with a little more urgency. "If you guess correctly, I will gladly offer you world domination..."_

_"I...I have no idea." One of the boys replied monotonously without changing his expression._

_"Me neither..." Barbara agreed with an anxious shake of the head._

_"Alright, you silly little ones..." Roger spoke up excitedly at the thought that he had finally outsmarted his possessed daughter and her friends. "The word I was thinking of is-"_

_The three children could barely hear the answer over the sound of the fireplace roaring to life, but it was enough to force them to reevaluate their entire outlooks on life. The difficult revelation proved too much for their precocious young minds to handle and within moments, they were howling together in unison and pulling at their own hair._

_Three heads exploded simultaneously a minute later, splattering Roger with blood and brain matter, before he turned around and gave a victorious grin._

* * *

Steven squeezed the brakes as he approached the bottom of the hill and came to a complete stop when he remembered the anxious voice he'd heard earlier.

He got off his bike and wheeled it back up with much effort, before his attention was stolen by a quiet whimper and he froze at the sight of Barbara ambling slowly towards him with blood on her face.

"Steven...my mouth hurts..."

His eyes instinctively wandered to where her bike lay several feet away and he got to work thinking of how he would help her get home.

* * *

Barbara slid down from her seat with some difficulty as she held an ice pack to her chin and was escorted into the dentist's room by her father.

She lay down in the reclining chair as instructed and nervously awaited the moment when he would administer the anaesthetic. A sharp needle jabbing into her gum caused her to wince before her senses numbed and she entered a sparkling dream world.

* * *

_Lesley stood in a large cavern, looking regal in her white silk dress that reflected light from the stalactites up above. Hundreds of dolls surrounded her while she flashed a welcoming smile at Barbara, some of which seemed to resemble the young girl's classmates._

_"Come over here, darling. I can give you power that you've never even dreamed of..."_

_"Mom?"_

_"Child, I don't know what it is that makes you think I'm your mother. I am the Ice Queen after all, and I have the power to put this land in an eternal winter."_

_The Ice Queen waved her wand and Barbara blinked as all of the dolls came to life to join their mistress in a harmonious performance of a soothing pop song that left her feeling a little drowsy._

_She turned and tried to stagger back outside, only to feel her legs give way when she came across a blindfolded man softly pressing the keys on his piano one by one._

* * *

Barbara drifted back to reality and her vision cleared enough for it to become apparent that she'd just had a tooth removed. She was ordered to rinse her mouth and did just that, before hopping out of the chair in uncertainty and joining Roger again in the waiting room.

She found herself thinking about Steven on the way back to the car and felt immensely grateful that he'd been kind enough to accompany her all the way home after the accident.

A crooked smile formed on her face as she sat down in the backseat and wondered what were the chances that she'd marry someone like him when she grew up.


	9. Let the Sunshine In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter comes from the song that is performed in the musical 'Hair' and that was famously covered by The 5th Dimension.

_"Mom, can I go and use the bathroom?" Steven asked hesitantly, putting down his TV dinner when he couldn't hold his bladder any more._

_"Sure..." Grace replied with an indifferent sigh. "If you have to go, go. There's no point in telling me."_

_"Okay..."_

_Steven leaped down from the couch and ran straight towards the lavatory door. He pushed it open and immediately froze in terror, before a trickling sound made him look down to find that he'd wet his pants without realizing._

_He ran back to the living room regardless so that he could let his parents know about the frightening occurrence._

_"Mom! Dad! There's hair growing out of the toilet!"_

_"Steven, that's impossible.." Grace moaned in annoyance that her leisure time was being interrupted._

_"You have to believe me! There's a lot and it's getting longer by the second!"_

_"Have no fear, darling." Ross spoke up, leaving his woman's side and approaching his son. "I'll go with him and see if it's true..."_

_"You mean to say that you actually believe this kid?!"_

_"Maybe."_

_Steven took a deep breath and forced up the courage to once again head towards the bathroom, eventually shoving the door open hastily to reveal to Ross what was going._

_What the man and young boy didn't expect however, was for the gigantic mass of golden hair to apparently gain a mind of it's own and wrap tightly around them both, before their bodies were violently sucked down the toilet._

_Meanwhile, Grace continued to eat her dinner in front of the television, completely unaware of the grisly fate that had befallen the two most important males in her life._

* * *

"Class, I'd like you all to stand up and salute the flag."

Steven's daydream ended and he followed the teacher's instructions while glancing towards Barbara, whom was already standing behind her chair.

She shrugged apathetically in his direction and he turned to face straight ahead, his eyes falling upon the world map as Miss Clarke began to recite the oath.

Everyone sat down once it was over and Steven found himself feeling oddly interested in the speech about how brave the astronauts were to go into space when there was little chance of success.

The school bell rang and he rushed from his desk straight to the door, soon finding himself in the hall contemplating whether it was safe to use the bathroom anymore.

* * *

Barbara sat quietly at the large table, listening idly to the conversation her father was engaged in while noticing the jealous stares Lesley was giving Aunt Imogen for having given birth to a healthy baby boy by the name of Christopher.

The eleven year old shuddered at the memory of how her mother had panicked upon realizing she'd miscarried, though she comforted herself with the notion that regardless, she was no longer the youngest member of her family.

_"I guess that means I'm a big girl now, so I hope they'll respect me..."_

She picked up her spoon to begin eating the slice of cake before her, but a strong jab against her back caused her to drop the piece of cutlery in shock.

"Hey!" She yelled, turning her head to face the culprit and finding that it was just Kevin, the son of one of her father's close friends.

The last time she'd met the freckled boy, they'd ended up in a heated argument about whether The Beatles or The Monkees were better, so she decided it was now better to simply ignore any obnoxious behaviour he displayed around her.

He ran off with a loud chuckle, before she went back to having her pleasant dessert.

* * *

"Barbara... Barbara, wake up. They're on the moon now..."

She stirred irritably underneath the thin covers at the sound of her mother's voice, but slid to the floor regardless when she realized what was going on.

They joined Roger down in the living room a minute later and she was allowed to sit in between while listening to them both cheering in excitement at the images on the screen.

Unfortunately, Barbara found was unable to make out much through her exhausted eyes and instead began to wish that the footage was in colour so that things could be a little clearer.

She fell asleep without realizing as a man began to speak loudly above crackling static and Lesley could only gape down in dismay.

The woman considered waking up her daughter so that she could witness the rest of the extraordinary event, only for Roger to dissuade her by claiming that it would be all over the newspapers anyway.

* * *

It came as a huge disappointment to Steven when he arrived at school one day to find that everyone was talking about nothing except for a revolutionary space trip that he'd been unable to see on television.

He eventually learned the details from Barbara and her explanation left him feeling amused that he'd ever been upset over missing out, for when he thought about it, the actual broadcast had hardly been anything impressive with it's grainy quality and scratchy sounds.

In the end, he figured it was best to just leave the whole thing to his own imagination and dream up colored images of space and the moon's surface as the months passed.

What he considered to be a just as monumental event however happened one afternoon when he was walking home alone from school. A shiny blue Chevy had slowly passed him by, it's windows down completely as the long haired driver nodded along to the most primal and aggressive song he'd ever heard in his short life.

The music made Steven feel an overwhelming thrill all over and unable to help himself, he called out loudly to the strange man, demanding to know it's source and the genius behind such a unique sound.

"It's Led Zeppelin, with Robert Plant on lead vocals." The driver replied, slowing down some more to flash an amused grin. "Mindblowing, eh kid?"

Steven nodded in agreement and the bearded man sped off while screaming uproariously, leaving him alone once again to face an idle and lousy neighborhood.

He extended his arm to pinch himself, expecting it to result in him waking up from yet another vivid dream, but nothing much happened and he still remained exactly where he was.

_"What did he say their name was? Zed Leopard? No, that can't be right..."_

With a heavy sigh, he decided that there was no choice but to accept what had happened as reality for the time being, even though he wanted desperately to escape this fantasy world for good.

* * *

Barbara was more than happy to join her parents in watching some holiday special after a quiet Christmas dinner and sank down upon the couch with a content smile on her face.

The program ended and Roger changed the channel to a news bulletin stating that further endeavours into space would continue to be made, a revelation that served to plunge Barbara into another surreal imagining in which she, Steven and Kevin were space pilots traveling the universe in search of another habitable planet as a result of the Earth being destroyed.


	10. In the Summertime

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since the previous chapter saw the end of the sixties, this one takes place during the summer of 1970.

_A young woman with flowing blonde hair twirled and tapped her foot rhythmically while shaking a tambourine. All the while, a bearded man sat upon a nearby rock strumming his sitar and smiling in bliss until a third person joined the scene._

_"Hey there, guys!" Kevin said cheerfully as he approached the duo in his clown costume and face paint. "Do you need a helping hand?"_

_They abruptly stopped playing their instruments upon realizing how silly his wardrobe choices were and the woman's mouth dropped open in horror at the gaudiness._

_"Steven, I think we should just leave..." She muttered as soon as she managed to recollect her thoughts. "This guy just doesn't have the right spirit, no matter how much he tries..."_

_"Right on..." Steven drawled lazily in agreement before he followed her and scurried quickly away from Kevin._

_"Wait... wait! Can't you at least give me another chance?" Kevin squealed desperately as he shuffled his feet and began to give chase._

_"The answer is no!"_

* * *

Kevin caught up to them outside the school gates and grinned excitedly despite the tiredness in his legs.

"I...I can't wait to spend the summer with you two! What plans do you have in mind?"

"Go to the beach with my parents, just like every other year..." Barbara groaned in reply with a roll of her eyes. "...I don't have time for you, by the way."

"Okay, what about you?" Kevin asked hopefully after shifting his gaze towards Steven.

"I'll be staying at home."

"Cool. Can I come over?"

"No. My Mom hates everyone."

"I'll say I'm a friend..."

"That won't work."

Steven turned his head and sullenly took off down the footpath, leaving Barbara alone to explain things to Kevin.

"He told me his parents have been fighting a lot lately. I guess it's making him grumpy too."

"And we can't do something about it?"

"No. We're just kids, who would side with us?"

Kevin opened his mouth to make further arguments, but she also began to make her way home before the words could pour out.

He swallowed sadly as he watched her go and wondered when his mother would come pick him up in the car.

* * *

Grandfather Irving suffered a mild heart attack shortly after the school term ended and while the family had been expecting such a thing for a long time, it still came as a shock when it actually happened.

The latest visit to the hospital had filled Roger with ease at the fact that his father was making a steady recovery, though Irving had predictably expressed disapproval for the strict diet he needed to follow.

Barbara found herself alone downstairs in the living room one afternoon, going through channels and finding in disappointment that all of her favorite programs were on hiatus.

She switched off the television with a flustered sigh and decided to climb upstairs towards her recently redecorated bedroom, only to turn back when she heard some creaking accompanied by loud moans.

An hour passed before she made the choice to leave a note for her parents, explaining that she was going out cycling and would be back by dinnertime.

* * *

"Lying son of a bitch! You think I don't know what you do on your trips?!" Grace screamed at the top of her lungs as a plate flew through the air and narrowly missed Ross' head while he escorted Steven out through the kitchen door.

"Don't be scared, son. It'll be okay when we get to the car."

"I know that, Dad."

"Good. Now hurry up."

Ross wasted no time in starting the engine as soon as he was behind the wheel, before turning the radio up to it's maximum volume to drown out the foul words Grace was yelling from the front doorstep.

Steven swallowed in fear while he sat beside his father, for he had a feeling his mother would also accuse him of being an accomplice in the grown man's philandering ways.

* * *

"I think it's about time I started teaching you a few things about how this thing works. My old man always used to say that you weren't a real man until you learned how to change a tire."

Steven nodded in understanding as his father prised open the bonnet and pointed out all the various components.

"Also, women always like a man who knows his way around a car. Just ask your mother." Ross added once he finished explaining their functions, his eyes darting towards a group of scantily clad girls walking by and eventually settling on a tanned brunette with pearly white teeth.

"Oh yeah, she's the one. Could you close that bonnet, please?"

Steven did so and could only stare helplessly as his father sprung on the young woman as soon as she started to trail behind, introducing himself before praising her figure and beauty.

"Oh, you're so flattering!"

"No, it's true. You're the prettiest lady here, just ask all these other men."

"Well, I don't have the time...wait, is that your son?! He's adorable!"

She bent over excitedly to meet Steven at eye level while unknowingly allowing the twelve year old a full view of her cleavage.

"You're like a little James Taylor, you know? My name's Miranda, by the way... you must have a great Dad if he takes you to the beach on weekends..."

Steven couldn't help but smile at the apparent compliment, though he quickly felt upset again at the realization that a complete stranger seemed to like him more than his mother did.

"...Well, you'll be a good boy and wait by the car while I talk with your Dad, right?"

"What?"

"I'll only be half an hour, Steven. There's no need to be worried." Ross reassured before wrapping his arm around Miranda so that they could go off and find a secluded spot to do their business.

An strong feeling of anger overwhelmed Steven as soon as they disappeared from his view and unable to hold it in, he took to kicking his foot repeatedly against the side of the car, which attracted concerned looks from quite a few passersby.

"Are you alright, son?" One middle aged man asked while cautiously approaching him.

It was funny how the negative emotions seemed to fade the moment someone displayed sympathy and Steven found himself insisting that he was perfectly fine, much to the man's disbelief.


	11. A Horse with No Name

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter comes from the song by America and it takes place during late 1970 and early 1971.

"Well, I guess that went well..." Barbara muttered miserably while she and Steven sank down together on a bench in the schoolyard. She stared at the still full jar of cookies in her hand before lowering her head in disappointment that they'd been outdone by the strange new girl Gloria.

"You know, we could always eat them ourselves." Steven suggested, his stomach rumbling as he gazed at the jar's contents hungrily.

"Sure..."

She twisted the lid open and they took two cookies each, munching the morsels slowly and wincing at the odd taste.

"By the way, what was that ingredient really? The stuff that looked like oregano?"

"That? Well I can't remember, but I know that it starts with an 'M'. I think it's a Mexican word or something..."

"You mean like paprika?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

* * *

"Darling, are you alright?" Roger asked in concern upon noticing that his young daughter had spontaneously begun laughing during the middle of a church service.

The resulting judgemental looks from the priest and those around him made his face flush red in embarrassment, before he took Barbara by the hand and hurriedly dragged her into the quiet lobby.

"Are you okay? Tell me nothing's wrong..." He pleaded with the twelve year old, cupping her face gently in his hands as she continued to laugh.

"Oh my God, Dad!" Barbara squealed once she'd managed to regain a little more composure. "You should have seen what happened with Preacher John! He grew two heads!"

"This really isn't funny, darling." Roger snapped impatiently, unaware that she was far from being in her right mind. "You're almost a teenager, not some silly five year old!"

"I know, I can't help it!"

* * *

Memories of his father's bloody and tormented face continued to haunt Steven for weeks after the man had packed his bags and abruptly left on a mysterious trip to escape Grace's explosive temper.

The harsh fate of being left alone to deal with his mother gradually began to take a toll on his willpower and before he knew it, his grades were rapidly dropping to the point that a C or D grade seemed like a huge blessing.

Any attempts his teachers made to get in contact with Grace proved ultimately unsuccessfully, since she too was now struggling to make ends meet, spending all day out on her mysterious business before coming home at night to drown her sorrows.

Listening to the radio became one of his new pastimes and it was there that Steven found an outlet for some of his pent-up anger, as well as the name of the aggressive rock band that had eluded him for almost a year.

"Led Zeppelin..." He repeated to himself over and over again, after one of their songs had finished playing, before thinking of his own name and how awkward it sounded when said aloud.

 _"Steven Donovan..."_ He thought bitterly while scrawling on a piece of paper, taking a few seconds to study the letters and finally making the fateful decision to do away with one of the N's permanently

With a single stroke of the pencil he removed a letter and uttered his now improved name with a proud grin. The sound of it already made him feel more like a man and less of a wimp, so the only thing left to do was condition himself to actually live up to the change.

* * *

"I have to say, that was wonderful, Mrs Sullivan. I almost forgot you were a pianist."

Lesley was rudely distracted from her thoughts on whether Roger had been too harsh on their daughter the previous week and turned to face Preacher John while feigning a relaxed smile.

"Why, thank you. I like to think of myself as more of a singer though..."

The old mam chuckled before jumping to the point and making a proposal that he hoped wouldn't come as too much of a shock.

"This might seem like a hefty request, but the committee and I were wondering if it would be possible for you to oversee this year's Nativity play."

"The Nativity? Oh, that sounds like a big respon-"

Lesley paused mid-sentence as an idea dawned upon her and she reconsidered her stance on the matter.

"Actually, that sounds like a great privilege. I'd be perfectly happy to take charge of such an event-" She replied, realizing the potential chance to find out exactly what was going on with Barbara.

"Glad to hear it." Preacher John interrupted, adjusting his spectacles. See you next Sunday afternoon, then?"

"Why, sure..." Lesley agreed in uncertainty.

* * *

"This sucks..." Barbara muttered grumpily, sitting in her Mary costume and cradling a baby doll while glaring at Kevin, whom was dressed as Joseph. She couldn't understand for the life of her how anyone could enjoy participating in such a hokey production, yet here was a boy who was doing just that.

Unfortunately, Lesley soon gave the cue for them to rehearse the next scene and Barbara could only grit her teeth as three other children stepped onto the stage to play shepherds.

Preacher John began to shake his head in disappointment as everyone but Kevin recited their lines apathetically and with little enthusiasm.

* * *

"Hey, your name's Steven, right?" Gloria asked politely upon joining him and Barbara in the library so that they could work on a history project together as a group.

"No, it's Steve." He corrected, raising his head to glare coldly at her dark skin and curly hair, which attracted a nervous look from Barbara.

"O-okay..." She replied sheepishly, before taking a seat opposite the two while hoping that none of the senior boys would notice her presence and jeer at her appearance.


	12. Changes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter comes from the song by David Bowie.

_"Good Lord, what have I done?"_ Ross thought to himself in guilt while slowing down at a red traffic light. _"I should have taken Steven with me, instead of leaving him alone with that crazy woman. She could have stabbed him to death for all I know..."_

The grisly mental image of his son lying in a pool of blood made his stomach turn, though the nauseating feeling faded when he noticed the pair of young women seated in the vehicle beside him.

_"Oh well, I could always start things over again."_

He sounded his horn and wolf whistled to get their attention, prompting the driver remove her sunglasses, before rolling her eyes in annoyance and turning to her friend to complain about how rude men could be.

_"Damn, they must be feminists..."_

* * *

_"Ah, what a fine morning it is. The sun is shining and I get to wake up next to my lovely wife..."_

_Roger sat up with a smile of bliss, only to freeze when he realized that he was in a single bed and the walls were adorned with posters of various rock bands._

_"What... what is happening?"_

_He stumbled out on to the floor and trudged towards the door, wondering why he felt so weak until he glanced at the mirror to see a round youthful face staring back._

_A high pitched scream pierced through the air as Roger came to terms with his predicament and impulsively began to yank at the blonde hair upon his now adolescent head._

_Unbeknownst to the forty year old though, was the equally terrifying ordeal that his daughter was going through, as she woke up to find herself trapped inside a hairy male body and lying with her own mother._

* * *

"Is something wrong? You're both incredibly quiet..." Lesley remarked in concern upon seating herself at the dining table and seeing the traumatized looks on her husband and daughter's faces

"I had a horrible dream last night..." Barbara finally replied, cupping her head in her hands.

"Really? What happened?"

"I woke up to find that I'd turned into Dad."

Roger abruptly choked on his coffee and he placed the mug down before recounting his side of the story.

"...the next thing I knew, that boyfriend of your's was running up to give me a hug. Do you know how uncomfortable it felt?"

"Um, Dad..." Barbara spoke up in embarrassment and disbelief. "Steve never gives people hugs. It's just not his style."

"He doesn't?"

"No, never."

"But I thought he had a thing for you..."

"Dad, we're just friends. He'd never be interested in me."

"That's good to hear. Fourteen's too young for that sort of thing anyway."

"Speaking of boys..." Lesley piped up, catching their attention again. "...that Kevin seems rather nice. Real husband material, even if his face is a little unfortunate."

"Darling..."

"Oh come on, Roger. You know it's never too early to discuss subjects like these..."

 _"Please, God. Make it stop..."_ Barbara could only think to herself helplessly as the conversation turned towards what was considered a proper age for marriage.

* * *

"Good Lord, what in the heavens just went on in this place?!" Edith exclaimed in horror upon entering the living room on one of her impromptu house visits.

"Hey..." Steve greeted lazily from the couch as he turned to meet eyes with his younger than average grandmother. "What's up this time?"

"And you!" The woman continued, pointing a quivering finger at the teenage boy. "When was the last time that hair was cut? You look just like one of those hippies!"

"Nah, Grandma. Hippies are pretty much dead now..."

"Don't talk to me like that, young man. Where's Grace?"

"She's out shopping. What do you need her for?"

"Nothing. It's you I've come to see, so how about we take another trip to the barber's?"

"Never. I decide when my hair's long enough."

Edith frowned and placed both hands against her hips, realizing that gone were the days when her grandson would meekly follow instructions like an innocent little lamb. It seemed that now she would have to resort to physical force and manipulation if she wanted to shape him into a respectable young man.

"Well then, I assume you're ready to receive unwanted attention from grown men?"

"What?"

"I'm saying that long hair should only be seen on women."

"Then I'll grow a beard. Like Jesus."

"How dare you..." Edith muttered harshly under her breath as it became clear that she had lost the argument. "Bringing up such a name to defend yourself, you should be ashamed..."

She spun around and stormed back out the front door just in time to encounter Grace, whose wild hair and skimpy clothing convinced her that the world really was heading towards a downward spiral of hedonism and debauchery.

_"It seems the best I can hope for, is that I'll be dead before the worst comes to pass."_

* * *

"Woo!" Barbara cheered, raising both hands in accomplishment at the fact that she could finally skate down the street wihout losing balance a single time.

She tried the same route a couple more times to make sure, before deciding to call it a day and stripping off the roller skates while sitting on her front doorstep.

After placing them back in the box they'd came in, she entered the kitchen in the hope of finding a nice snack to eat, only to stop in her tracks at the sight of Roger miserably scrubbing the bench while wearing one of Lesley's aprons.

"Barbara..." He groaned, raising his head to stare at her hopelessly. "Promise me that you won't get brainwashed too..."

"What are you talking about, Dad?"

"It's your mother. She's gone crazy from all that women's rights mumbo jumbo."

"Oh."

"You're not going to treat your future husband like this, right?"

"No."

"Good. Could you light the stove for me, please?"

* * *

Kevin finished his juggling routine with a single flourish and bowed proudly too much applause, feeling glad that what he lacked in looks, he more than made up for with his dexterity and showmanship.

He caught sight of Barbara sitting nearby as he got off the stage to reunite with his parents and the unimpressed look on her face soon stirred up a particularly vivid wishful fantasy, in which he was a traveling entertainer driving his caravan around the country, entertaining children everywhere with his various lifelike puppets.

Unbeknownst to all of his audiences however, was the fact that each puppet contained the soul of a classmate whom had dared to insult him in the past, condemned to spend years sealed inside a creaky wooden body and dance on the end of a string until they fell apart.

* * *

"Oh my..." Barbara moaned as she struggled to fit into one of her dresses for reasons that were unknown until she unwittingly got a hold of her own chest.

A strange but pleasant feeling came over her entire body when she did so, though it was quickly forgotten when she pulled the dress off, opting again for a loose shirt and trousers.

She then trudged down the stairs in the baggy clothes, wondering if it would be wise to tell her parents about what was happening to her body.


	13. Dream On

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter comes from the song by Aerosmith.

"I knew it. He's nothing but a crook...where's the Kennedys when you need them?"

Barbara didn't know what to say in response to her father's claim while they watched the evening news together without Lesley. She opened her mouth to ask him exactly what the President had done this time, but quickly decided to keep listening and find out for herself.

Sure enough, a deep sense of distrust arose in her heart when she saw Nixon's heavyset and furrowed brows, which lead her to conclude that he certainly looked untrustworthy.

* * *

"Back from work already?" Gloria piped up excitedly, jumping from the couch upon seeing her older brother Marvin enter the living room. "How's your day been?"

"Not bad." The young man replied as he dropped his bag and headed to the bathroom to tend to his afro. "But it's happening again. People are confusing me with Mr Gaye when I look nothing like him."

"Yeah... if you ask me, you'd fit in more with the Jackson Five."

Marvin turned to glare at her like some aggressive action movie hero, before retrieving his bag with a sigh.

"I've got a special surprise here, you know. I think you'll love it."

"Really? Let me see..."

He produced a shiny record case and Gloria gasped in excitement at the sight, knowing how hard it typically was for them to come by bestselling albums.

"Oh my God, Barry White...we have to give it a listen now!"

Marvin obliged and they were soon sitting together, enjoying the groovy beat and the singer's soulful voice. Gloria in particular, began to feel a certain sensation in her loins that only grew stronger the more she heard, to the point that she had to beg her brother to take the needle off so that she could compose herself again.

* * *

 _"Lord help me...I think I'm dying..."_ Barbara thought in horror while she sat on the toilet seat and looked down between her legs, lost for words as to what was wrong with her body.

The only explanation that came to mind was a story she'd once heard about a disease that made people bleed from unlikely areas and she grew confident that it was currently happening to her.

A sudden knock against the bathroom door drove her into a panic and she stumbled forward in an attempt to pull her pants up, before straightening up and making an effort to appear calm as she finally allowed her mother to enter.

"Is something wrong, dear? I've never seen you look so pale..." Lesley spoke up in concerned when she saw her daughter's face.

"No, I'm fine... just a little tired, that's all..."

"Are you sure? I think we should take your temperature, just to be safe."

"But..."

"Oh, be quiet. What harm can some extra care do?"

* * *

"Good afternoon, kid. Is the owner of the house at home?"

"Um...yeah, she is." Steve replied in uncertainty to the sleazy young man whom had inexplicably showed up outside the front door. "What do you want with her?"

"Relax, I'm just a plumber. I was called here to fix a blocked toilet-"

""Get out of the way, Steven." Grace interrupted as she emerged from her bedroom still wearing a low cut nightgown. "I'll handle this..."

Steve glanced towards his mother and rolled his eyes before hurrying off to allow the two adults some privacy. Once he was gone, Grace began to smile confidently and grabbed the visitor firmly by the forearm.

"Let's make this quick. You have a job to go back to, after all..."

* * *

"Hm, busy studying? You must be a good kid..."

Steve raised his head in alarm and mentally scolded himself for forgetting that there had been a third person in the house.

"So, how's the toilet? Is it working now?" The fifteen year old asked, trying to make casual conversation.

"You could say that, since I did do a thorough job..." The plumber replied with a perverted grin that did not go unnoticed. "...your sister really is something, too. Your parents must be at their wit's end..."

"Um, sir..." Steve found himself beginning to correct the man, much to his own despair. "She's not my sister, she's my Mom..."

"That's real funny, kid, but I know an older woman when I see one. And your sister sure isn't one of them..."

It was then that something snapped deep inside Steve's mind and he found himself unable to tolerate anymore of the man's degrading words.

"Shut up! Just get out of this house now!" He screamed while standing up, the loudness of his voice surprising even him as the plumber obeyed and swiftly fled for the door.

* * *

 _"Do... do I really have to wear this? It's looks pretty big..."_ Barbara couldn't help but think while staring down at one of the so-called pads that had been bought for her.

She briefly considered storming out of the bathroom and asking if there was an alternative, but managed to stop herself by remembering that Lesley had been using such things for years with no trouble.

As such, she decided to simply have faith in her mother's actions and carefully put the thing on despite her own insecurity. To her surprise, it turned out to be quite comfortable and when she stood up to study herself in the mirror, she hardly noticed any outward differences.

_"I guess this is something I'll have to get used to... even if it feels weird at times..."_

As if on cue, a sudden stab of pain in her chest made her wince, before the sensation faded as quickly as it had come and she trudged cautiously downstairs for breakfast.

* * *

_"She... she's going to kill me..."_

Steve didn't know what had given him the urge to mess around with the secondhand car his mother had bought, but now that the damage was done, it was clear that he would need to cover up the results as best as he could.

A quick look at the large dent at the back and the shards of broken glass scattered on the sidewalk convinced him that the task would be difficult, but he was somehow able to pull himself together and carry out the first step necessary in such a plan.

He hurriedly got back behind the wheel and pressed a foot against the gas, taking the vehicle back to the right side of the street and pulling the handbrake up, before getting out again.

Minutes later, he was quietly cleaning up the scene of the crash and hoping against all odds that nobody had heard the deafening noise from earlier.


	14. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter comes from the song by Elton John.

"Maxine... Amanda?" Ross whispered in disorientation after waking up and remembering the wild night he'd spent with a pair of lustful college girls.

For some reason however, the two young women had now vanished and left little sign that they'd ever joined him in bed.

He slid out from beneath the sheets and stretched his legs while trying to look on the bright side, which was the fact that he was currently free to wander and see whomever he pleased.

Regardless, something about his failed relationship with Grace and separation from his son filled him with melancholy over the thought that he'd never truly have a family to call his own.

Little did Ross know, the two girls he'd invited over were in reality, seasoned con artists whom were already at the state border with most of his valuables and earnings.

* * *

"Helen?" Irving uttered in surprise at the figure that had suddenly appeared beside him on the porch.

The young woman simply gave an enigmatic smile and took him by the hand, allowing his pulse to run against her's until he began to feel weak at the knees.

"I don't understand. It's been forty years... Roger's a father now..."

"Shh...it's just the two of us now. Isn't that what you've been waiting for all this time?"

He hesitated, looking into his late wife's bright eyes before relenting and taking her other hand.

The next thing Irving knew, he was young again and dressed to the nines while following Helen to to dance, just as they'd done back in 1929.

* * *

"Barbara... I've been looking all over for you. You need to come to the courtyard now. It's urgent..."

"What's going on?"

"You'll find out..."

Barbara sighed and stepped away from the bathroom mirror before following Janice outside towards where several other girls were standing around in similar confusion.

She recognized classmates Linda, Joanne and Valerie among them, as a group of menacing senior girls arrived on the scene carrying large buckets of some foul smelling mixture.

 _"Oh no..."_ She thought in terror, instinctively shrinking away as the greyish white sludge was tossed upon her and every other junior present.

* * *

"Well, look who's just arrived...another little fag..."

Steve swallowed and backed against the fence in his attempt to run away, but the older boys effortlessly seized him by the arms and began to drag him violently towards where a small crowd had gathered around an expensive looking car.

A look of complete confusion crossed his face when he saw Kevin already sprawled out on the hood while being held down by two seniors.

He landed right beside the other boy seconds later and opened his mouth to ask what was happening, only for Kevin to tremble and whisper something incomprehensible.

The situation finally started to make sense when he managed to twist his head and notice a blurry figure in the distance making their way forward, brandishing a baseball bat.

* * *

 _"Yes... I'm finally home... and safe..."_ Steve thought to himself in pained relief, after being relentlessly beaten had rendered him unable to walk steadily.

The sight of the wide open front door made him uncomfortable however and it was with caution that he entered, quietly calling his mother's name while he stepped forward.

A deep groan from her room made him shudder, before he regained composure and went straight to investigate.

What greeted him was something truly sickening and he swiftly turned back around, choking as he tried desperately to erase the image of Grace kneeling down while her face was pressed against the waist of a complete stranger.

_"Lord, help me...my Mom's turned into a whore..."_

* * *

"I know what you're thinking..." Grace muttered that evening after sitting down beside Steve, lighting a cigarette and blowing the smoke into his face. "...how am I going to face my friends and teachers when my Mom sucks cocks for money?"

Steve simply stared at her unblinkingly, unsure what to say in response.

"Well, you know what? I wouldn't have been able to pay for the damage you did to the car if it weren't for those clients, so let that be a lesson for you."

"I...I think I'll go to bed..."

"Good night and sleep tight, honey..." She replied mockingly as he got up and limped slowly towards his room.

* * *

Barbara collapsed upon her bed, completely exhausted after having to stand in the shower for two hours and rushing to complete homework that was due the next day.

She was asleep in no time, despite both of her parents' frequent attempts to pass by the door and ask if anything was wrong.

Lesley eventually worked up the courage to walk right in and drape a blanket over her daughter before quietly creeping out to join her husband in bed as usual.

* * *

_"Oh God... I'm Dorothy..." Barbara whispered to herself anxiously, upon noticing her blue dress, ruby slippers and the yellow brick road that stretched ahead for miles._

_Several minutes of walking predictably led her to where a scarecrow stood still, evidently in pain from being pecked mercilessly by crows._

_"Hey, Barbara... could you please help me down from here? It's torture and I don't think I can take it much longer..." The scarecrow pleaded in Kevin's voice, rolling glassy eyes ever so slightly towards her._

_"I'd be glad to. After all, I could do with someone who can keep me warm at night."_

_"Oh, you're such a sweet talker..."_

_"Don't be silly, K_ _evin. You're made of straw and twigs, which are quite flammable and would make a great campfire."_

_"I... I think you should just leave me here."_

_"Sorry, I've already made up my mind."_

* * *

_Irving stepped out from behind the curtain in shame and apologized for his deceit before awarding special gifts to Barbara's companions._

_Kevin received a brain so that he could score one hundred percent on the exams, Gloria was bestowed with courage so that she could pursue her dreams without fear and Steve was given a heart so that he could gain the ability to feel love._

_"So, how about you, Barbara? What gift do you most desire?"_

_"Well, grandpa..." She began sheepishly, trying and failing to hold back a nervous smile. "I...I'd like to rule the world and see my enemies suffer..."_

_Three voices gasped in unison as Steve, Gloria and Kevin slowly inched away._

_"Pardon?" Irving spoke up, remaining calm._

_"I'm not giving up these slippers without a fight. There's a good reason the witch wanted them so badly, after all."_

_"But, Barbara!" Kevin cried out loud. "If you don't take them off, the evil will spread and corrupt you!"_

_"I know and I don't care." She replied, smirking devilishly at the pleasant sensation of dark magic coursing through her veins. "I'm the new Wicked Witch of the West, whether you like it or not!"_

* * *

_"Take revenge, that's it!"_ Barbara thought brightly while stretching her arms after a good night's sleep. She hopped out of bed and quickly got dressed, eager to get to school in order to tell others about her plan.

* * *

Due to their large statures and intimidating appearances, classmates Bruce and Randy offered to drive around town and vandalize the houses of all the seniors they knew.

Kevin used his scientific knowledge to make stink bombs that he planted in a few lockers.

Gloria somehow managed to come by a cherry bomb that was subsequently hidden inside the senior girls' change rooms.

Steve took one of his mother's brown paper bags and scattered it's contents over the seats of a familiar car before slashing a tire and running for his life.

Meanwhile, Barbara joined some other girls in throwing wet toilet paper on the walls and ceilings of the senior bathrooms, as well as drawing suggestive pictures wherever there was space.

By the time everyone was finished, Kevin checked his watch to find that it was five o'clock on the dot and suggested that all whom were involved rush home quickly to avoid too much explanation.

* * *

Steve collapsed lazily on the couch, feeling weary from the day's events as he eyed the bag in his hands. A idea presented itself when he remembered the way Grace smoked and in no time, he was back on his feet to find a lighter.

He returned moments later to finally try what he'd been afraid to do for over a year, only to find that the smell and foul taste were a little too overwhelming for his liking.

Nevertheless, the feeling of calmness that came some time after convinced him that he simply needed to grow accustomed in order to enjoy the substance to it's full extent.

* * *

Barbara returned home in a most pleasant mood and brightly lied about what she''d been up to while searching the fridge for snacks.

Her mother seemed to believe the false story and she sat down in relief to eat before climbing upstairs to catch up on study.

Roger returned home late in the evening and prepared to sit down at the table, before an unexpected phone call forced him to stand up and rush to the door.

He greeted the caller and listened attentively to the grave tone of their voice, his expression gradually growing more desperate as the full implication of the news set in.

"What's going on, honey?" Lesley asked, approaching him in concern as she sensed that something incredibly serious had just happened.

"It...It's my father. He's just..."

His voice trailed off and Lesley tried unsuccessfully to comfort her husband by holding his hand, before deciding to leave him alone for the moment and instead call Barbara downstairs for assistance.


	15. Free Bird

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had at least ten different ideas on how this chapter would play out, so apologies for the slow update. The title comes from the song by Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Nothing could shake away the heaviness in Barbara's chest while she sat at the back of the car and saw how empty her father's eyes were.

Lesley turned the radio on without a word, so that a song by The Carpenters floated through the vehicle and gave the whole occasion of leaving Irving's funeral an even more melancholy affair.

She isolated herself over the next few days to come to terms with the fact that her grandfather was gone and with him, a unique perspective on an era alien to many.

The more she thought about it, the more at loss she felt for not learning as much from him as possible, until the regret drove her into a depression deeper than the moments of sadness she'd experienced as a child.

She dared not speak about such feelings to her parents however, for she knew that they were going through twice as much pain.

* * *

Steve pulled the drawer open violently, desperate for a way to release his anger after having an argument with Grace earlier in the morning.

He came across the collection that she'd acquired from various lowly clients and a chance for revenge presented itself, so he took half of what his mother owned before stuffing it into his backpack.

Few teachers and students were around when he arrived at school, making sure the switchblade was safely in his pocket while mulling over how to pick out vulnerable targets.

A frail boy approached some minutes later and assuming that they were a freshman, Steve straightened up with the intent of selling his first batch, only to decide it would be safer to deal with people whom he felt more comfortable around.

* * *

_"Arrest that man. He's been harvesting the devil's lettuce and you all know how I feel about that." Sheriff Hale declared, pushing the door open so that his subordinates could shuffle past._

_"Arrest me? Well, I'm not going down without a fight!"_

_Stephen 'Duck' Donovan raised his gun and fired a single shot into the Sheriff's face, killing the man instantly._

_Deputy Jackson wasted no time and shot back in retaliation, prompting the other officers to follow suit until Stephen could no longer stand._

_He landed heavily on the ground and used the last of his willpower to spit at the Deputy's feet, before a bullet abruptly tore through his skull_

* * *

Steve was jolted back into reality and blinked a couple of times while trying to figure out what the teacher was lecturing everyone about.

He decided to pretend that he was paying attention, by scrawling vigorously in his exercise book and looking up in curiosity once a minute.

The act proved effective, as nobody bothered him for the remainder of the lesson. It was only until class was officially dismissed that a girl named Cheryl slipped him a covert note on her way out.

_I want to get high. When and where should we meet?_

He quickly wrote a reply before folding it up and reminding himself to slip it into her locker when he had the chance.

* * *

"Barb, you alright? You look tired..."

"Huh? No, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

Linda leaned forward in concern and frowned upon seeing that Barbara's page was still blank. She then glanced towards Joanne, the latter whom soon proposed something that would hopefully help.

"Do you know what I think you need, Barbara?"

"What?"

"You need to let loose. Break a rule or two."

"No, that's not going to help at all..."

"See, there you go again. There's a reason boys don't talk to you..."

Barbara sighed at Joanne's statement, wondering how the other girl had come to such a conclusion when she clearly considered Steve and Kevin to be good friends.

"...You know Cheryl?" Joanne continued, lowering her voice to a whisper. "She bought dope from some guy in our year level the other day. If you want, she could get you in touch with the dealer, as long as you swear never to tell a soul."

Barbara blinked in disbelief at what she was hearing and excused herself in order to spend a minute debating whether it was the risk. Hazy memories of being in an altered state at the age of twelve returned and remembering how she'd come out just fine, she finally decided to give the plan a try.

* * *

She waited anxiously near the teacher's carpark and after analyzing the risks, decided to head straight back to class before Mr Caruso sent someone else out to find her.

_"Let them think I'm a square. I'm not ready to face someone who might just stab me then make a run for it..."_

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Steve?" She immediately replied, turning her head to see him standing about a yard away. "I should be asking _you_ that..."

"Um, I'm here for a smoke, that's all..." He tried to casually explain following a moment of hesitation.

"Really? Since when have you done that?"

"Since last week."

"Oh. I guess I should leave you alone then..."

Barbara hurriedly strode away in embarrassment, thinking of how close a call it had been, until the details all came together in an instant and she wanted to slap herself for being so naive.

* * *

"I know it goes without saying, but if you tell everyone about this, I won't make an exception."

"Steve, we're friends. You can trust me..."

"Not today. You're just a customer as far as I care."

"Fine..."

Barbara stared down at the joint and lighter in her hands, remembering the cigars Irving used to smoke, before flicking the switch and producing a small orange flame.

Steve took a step back and watched in guilty fascination when she placed the joint in her mouth and inhaled, the indescribable taste and smell soon prompting her to give a cough of disgust.

"I...I can't believe I'm..."

Her voice trailed off as the effects of the drug began to kick in and her pupils seemed to dilate in awe at the sights before them.

The sound of nearby footsteps a minute later however, drove Steve into a panic and without much thought, he grabbed Barbara violently by the arm so that they could duck behind a car together.

The newcomer turned out to be none other than Kevin and thoughts growing even more impulsive, Steve briefly left Barbara's side to confront the other boy.

"Hey, funny meeting you here..." He attempted to greet casually while trying his hardest to maintain a relaxed demeanor. "...I'll let you smoke some for free if you'll cover for me..."

"What...?" Kevin simply asked, tilting his head slightly in confusion.

"Uh..."

It was then that Steve froze in complete fear and realized that he may as well have turned himself in to the principal instead.

* * *

Mr Caruso looked up from his desk to stare in worry at the empty seats of students Barbara Sullivan and Kevin Hale, the latter of whom had volunteered to find the former but still hadn't returned.

He was well aware of the potential risk in simply ignoring the sudden absences and hoping for the best, yet he was also convinced that bringing the incident to everybody's attention would expose him as incompetent for being unable to successfully keep his students out of trouble.

As class came to a close, he finally decided to follow his conscience and contact the two teenagers' parents.

* * *

Elsewhere, Steve slumped down upon a car hood beside his two stoned companions and deciding that there was nothing more to lose, took a drag on a joint as well, before staring up at the clear blue sky and letting all worries temporarily slip away.


	16. I'm Not in Love

"Out of the car. Now."

Steve swallowed in fear and meekly followed his mother's bidding, knowing full well why she was angry as he prepared to receive punishment.

Grace stepped on to the sidewalk seconds later and wasted no time in delivering a blow to the side of his face, while caring little for the shocked stares of neighbors.

"How could you lie to me?! All this time, I thought you were at school when really-"

"Mom, I can explain..." Steve muttered quietly, trying once again to defend himself. "I thought you'd be even madder if I told the truth..."

"Even madder?! Well, let me tell you something. There's nothing I hate more than a man who pretends that things are fine when they've actually gone to hell..."

"But..."

Grace slapped him across the face a second time, prematurely cutting off his reply.

"That's for taking my pot without asking. Filthy thief..." She hissed before storming back indoors, leaving him to stand numbly outside in humiliation.

* * *

For the sake of security, Barbara had taken to completing homework at the dining room table ever since Lesley had managed to find employment again as a music teacher.

It so happened one Thursday night that the doorbell rang an hour before her parents were supposed to return, at which she tensed up and knew something wasn't right.

She left her chair to approach the door slowly and cautiously, before looking through the peephole to find out the identity of the unexpected visitor.

A dark and blurred figure greeted her just as a familiar voice was heard calling out in desperation.

"This is the Sullivan household, right?! It's me, Steve Donovan..."

Barbara unlocked the door immediately afterwards and was unprepared for the way he frantically rushed forward to give her a hug, something completely out of line with his typical stoic nature.

"Steve, what's gotten into you? Is something wrong?" She asked in confusion when he finally stepped back and allowed her a view of his bruised cheek.

"It...it's my Mom. She's kicked me out and..."

"You want somewhere to stay?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, I'm not sure what my parents would think...why didn't you try Kevin?"

"His family hates me."

"Alright, um..." She said quietly, at a loss over the proper course of action to take. "...you can wait on the couch. I'll get you something to eat, Mom and Dad will be home in about fifty minutes..."

* * *

She allowed herself a sigh of a relief that evening while getting ready for bed, feeling glad that Steve had been allowed to sleep on the couch for the night, despite him deserving better in her eyes.

Even so, she understood why her parents had made such a decision, after Roger had secretly given her a spare bedroom key and advised her to be vigilant.

And so she lay awake for hours behind a locked door, hoping that Steve wasn't feeling too uncomfortable where he was and that the situation would improve by morning.

* * *

"No luck, I guess?" She inquired when she entered the street to find him already there waiting.

"Nah, she won't let me come back until I promise never to lie again."

"Isn't that impossible?"

"Who knows? Maybe this is just what she wants..."

They stared uncomfortably at each other for several moments, before Barbara relaxed and allowed him to follow her inside.

The next few hours were spent aimlessly watching television and listening to an album by The Who in it's entirety, until Steve made a rather interesting claim.

"They say that if you play songs backwards, you might just hear messages from the Devil."

"Are you sure?"

"Well, it's probably just a rumor, but we can still try..."

"Alright. Let's do it." Barbara suddenly replied impulsively with a level of enthusiasm that frightened him a little.

She blinked shortly afterwards and realized that her hand was already shifting the record counterclockwise as if something had temporarily possessed her.

Steve stared in uncertainty when she let go and backed away to witness the effects of the supposedly harmless experiment.

What greeted them was unintelligible gibberish that despite sounding rather eerie, did not seem to contain any of the Satanic messages they feared would be evident.

Even so, Barbara felt a strange sense of disappointment at the fruitless results for reasons she couldn't fathom.

She glanced towards Steve in the hope of finding solace, only to find herself feeling even more confused at his lack of bewilderment.

"So, what else should we do?"

"How would I know? This is your place..."

"I guess you're right."

She left his side and sank down upon the couch, confused over why she was now feeling an uncontrollable flurry of emotions inside and at a loss as to where they were coming from.

"Are you okay?"

Steve sat down and turned to face her, the look of concern in his deep brown eyes serving as a catalyst to her realizing something that had likely been true for the past year or so.

"It's nothing. I just..."

She lost all sense of rationality in the ensuing seconds as she moved forward to brush his hair aside gently and plant a light kiss upon his lips.

An empty silence followed during which she eagerly awaited a response and soon received one in the form of an excuse to leave.

"It...it's been a fun day, but I guess it's about time I went home..."

He was gone within the minute and Barbara found that she could do little besides obsess over whether she'd crossed a line through her simple display of desire.

* * *

The idea of someone being in love with him was quite difficult for Steve to grasp as he entered the rundown part of town that had become so familiar over the years, though even harder to believe was the fact that he'd just experienced his first kiss, however underwhelming it may have been.

He soon began to feel insecure however, as a result of believing he possessed few redeeming qualities in comparison to virtuous boys like Kevin.

The issue became unimportant when he reached the dimly lit house where Grace was waiting and instead formed in his mind the best apology he could think of, before trudging bravely towards the front door, ready to face whatever was in store.

* * *

_"How's it going? Are things alright?"_

"Yeah, Mom's actually forgiven me. She even said it was her fault for overreacting..."

_"Well, it's great to hear that things are fine. You can call me if things ever get difficult again..."_

"I will. Thanks for the help..."

_"You're welcome. I..."_

Steve lowered the receiver a little and waited in anticipation for the rest of her reply.

_"...I should say goodbye. We're just adding to the phone bill..."_

"Oh, that. Bye anyway..."


	17. More than a Feeling

The school bell rang and Steve made his best effort to blend in with the other students while they rushed into the hallway.

He overheard Bruce and Randy discussing plans to haze the new freshmen, which prompted him to discreetly roll his eyes at their apparent inability to learn from the past.

The sight of Barbara waiting by the gates was perhaps the highlight of his day however and he was perfectly willing to listen to the good news she had to offer.

"Guess what? I passed my driving test. First try, too."

"Congratulations." He replied with a smile, despite also feeling somewhat upset that Grace was too indifferent to help him with the things that really mattered.

"Are you alright? You don't look so well..."

"No, I'm just worried. You know what happens whenever I try to borrow the car..."

Barbara paused in concern before an idea came to her mind.

"Hey, it's not so bad. My Dad's going to be taking some time off next week. We can go for a few drives then."

* * *

"So, is there a reason you wanted me to drive here?" Steve asked upon bringing the borrowed car to a stop and gazing in uncertainty at the redwood trees far ahead. "I've heard that this spot is haunted or something."

"Well, I thought the terrain would be good practice. Plus, it's nice and quiet here. I don't think anyone's going to be watching what we do or say."

"You're not thinking...?"

"I think I am."

"Okay, go ahead..." He agreed after a few moments spent turning away to make sure his lips weren't dry.

Barbara then leaned forward to kiss him for the second time before pulling away slowly and leaving him wide eyed.

"Wow..."

It took several more moments for Steve to get his breath back, at which he sighed and got out of the car so that she could take the wheel again.

* * *

They sat contently beside each other on the couch one evening after Barbara had discussed with her parents plans to study law after graduation.

"You have to know the system if you want to beat it, as they say." She spoke up during a commercial break in an attempt to justify her impulsive career choice, though Steve wasn't fooled when he saw the doubt in her eyes.

"I think you'll do fine..." He reassured when the poorly scripted sitcom came back on. "...I should start looking for work if we're going to be together."

It was then that Barbara began to feel a growing sense of discomfort at how seriously he was taking the result of just a couple of kisses.

She forced herself to maintain a cheerful facade however and instead tried to focus on what was on television, despite being unsure at heart as to whether a future with him would actually be detrimental to her sanity in the long run.


End file.
